Apparatus and method for analyzing player&#39;s behavior pattern

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for analyzing player&#39;s behavior pattern between a game client which is accessed by a player and via which the player plays a game and a game server which provides the player with a game service. The apparatus includes a capture unit, a data extraction unit, a cluster extraction unit, a matching unit, and a generalization unit. The capture unit captures packets transmitted and received between the game client and the game server. The data extraction unit extracts data corresponding to the player&#39;s behavior pattern from the packets. The cluster extraction unit extracts the player cluster, having similar behavioral characteristics, using the extracted data. The matching unit matches the player cluster with similar characteristics of an actual player set. The generalization unit generalizes the results of the matching.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0125618, filed on Dec. 9, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for analyzing player's behavior pattern and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method that analyze on-line game player's game behavior pattern.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a method of analyzing game behavior patterns, code for extracting data is embedded in game source code, and game player's game behavior patterns are analyzed based on the extracted data. This game behavior pattern analysis method has the inconvenience of the corresponding code having to be inserted into each game. Furthermore, there is the disadvantage of inserted code having to be modified when an input value or a category that is used to analyze a game behavior pattern varies.

A method of analyzing game behavior patterns using artificial intelligence enables resemblance to a specific player by continuously using a single game player's behavior as input data. However, in the case of an on-line game which is played by numerous players, a specific player's behavior cannot have generality, and it is difficult to determine the suitableness of the game from the behavioral characteristics of a player of the game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method that analyze on-line game player's game behavior pattern.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an apparatus for analyzing player's behavior patterns between a game client which is accessed by a player and via which the player plays a game and a game server which provides the player with a game service, the apparatus including a capture unit for capturing packets transmitted and received between the game client and the game server; a data extraction unit for extracting data corresponding to the player's behavior pattern from the packets; a cluster extraction unit for extracting the player cluster, having similar behavioral characteristics, using the extracted data; a matching unit for matching the player cluster with similar characteristics of an actual player set; and a generalization unit for generalizing results of the matching.

The generalization unit may transplant the generalized results to a behavior of a game character corresponding to the player.

The data extraction unit may extract data which corresponds to elements which determine the player's behavior pattern, from the packets.

The elements may correspond to the difference in time between a point of time at which the packets are received and a point of time at which the player's input is transmitted, repetitive game behavior input packets, and the player's behavior input packets based on the player's functionality value.

Furthermore, in order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a method of analyzing player's behavior patterns between a game client which is accessed by a player and via which the player plays a game and a game server which provides the player with a game service, the method including capturing packets transmitted and received between the game client and the game server; extracting data corresponding to the player's behavior pattern from the packets; extracting the player cluster, having similar behavioral characteristics, using the extracted data; matching the player cluster with similar characteristics of an actual player set; and generalizing results of the matching.

The generalizing may include transplanting the generalized results to a behavior of a game character corresponding to the player.

The extracting data may include extracting data which corresponds to elements which determine the player's behavior pattern, from the packets.

The elements may correspond to a difference in time between a point of time at which the packets are received and a point of time at which the player's input is transmitted, repetitive game behavior input packets, and the player's behavior input packets based on the player's functionality value.

The matching may include comparing a player group with the player cluster, and, if the clustering is not suitable for characteristics of the player group, re-determining the elements which determine the player's behavior pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an environment to which an apparatus for analyzing player's behavior pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the apparatus for analyzing player's behavior pattern according to the embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of analyzing player's behavior pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference now should be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used throughout the different drawings to designate the same or similar components.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Repetitive descriptions and descriptions of known functions and constructions which have been deemed to make the gist of the present invention unnecessarily vague will be omitted below. The embodiments of the present invention are provided in order to fully describe the present invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the shapes, sizes, etc. of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated to make the description clear.

An apparatus and method for analyzing player's behavior pattern according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an environment to which the apparatus 10 for analyzing player's behavior pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the apparatus 10 for analyzing player's behavior pattern according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment of the present invention, a player corresponds to an on-line game player, and includes a corresponding artificial game character in an on-line game.

Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus 10 for analyzing player's behavior pattern is located between a game client 20 which is accessed by the player and via which the player plays a game and a game server 30 which provides the player with a game service, and analyzes the player's behavior pattern.

Referring to FIG. 2, the apparatus 10 for analyzing player's behavior pattern includes a capture unit 110, a data extraction unit 120, a cluster extraction unit 130, a matching unit 140, and a generalization unit 150.

The capture unit 110 captures packets transmitted and received in a communication environment between the game client 20 and the game server 30.

The data extraction unit 120 extracts data which corresponds to elements that determine the player's behavior pattern, from the captured packets. Here, the elements which determine the player's behavior patterns correspond to the difference in time between the time at which a packet is received from the game server 30 and the time at which the player's input is transmitted, repetitive game behavior input packets, and the player's behavior input packets based on the player's functionality value, but are not limited thereto.

The cluster extraction unit 130 extracts the player cluster, the player cluster including players who have similar behavioral characteristics with one another, using the extracted data.

The matching unit 140 matches the extracted player cluster with similar characteristics of an actual player set. Furthermore, the matching unit 140 compares a player group with the player cluster, and, if the clustering is not suitable for the actual characteristics of the player group, re-determines the elements which determine the player's behavior pattern. Then, the data extraction unit 120 extracts data which corresponds to re-determined elements which determine the player's behavior patterns, from the captured packets.

The generalization unit 150 generalizes the results of matching the player cluster with the similar characteristics of the actual player set, and transplants the generalized results to a game character corresponding to the player.

The method of analyzing player's behavior pattern will now be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the method of analyzing player's behavior pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the apparatus 10 for analyzing player's behavior pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention is located between the game client 20 which is accessed by the player and via which the player plays a game and a game server 30 which provides the player with a game service.

Referring to FIG. 3, the player accesses the game server 30 via the game client 20 and starts an on-line game at step S310.

The apparatus 10 for analyzing player's behavior pattern captures packets sent and received in a communication environment between the game client 20 and the game server 30, that is, an environment in which the player executes the on-line game at step S320.

The apparatus 10 for analyzing player's behavior pattern extracts data which corresponds to factors which determine the player's behavior pattern, from the captured packets at step S330. Here, the elements which determine the player's behavior pattern correspond to the difference in time between the time at which a packet is received from the game server 30 and the time at which the player's input is transmitted, repetitive game behavior input packets, and the player's behavior input packets based on the player's functionality value, but are not limited thereto.

The apparatus 10 for analyzing player's behavior pattern extracts the player cluster, the player cluster including players who similar behavioral characteristics with one another, using the extracted data at step S340.

The apparatus 10 for analyzing player's behavior pattern matches the extracted player cluster with the similar characteristics of an actual player set at step S350.

The apparatus 10 for analyzing player's behavior pattern generalizes the results of matching the player cluster with the similar characteristics of the actual player set at step S360, and transplants the generalized results to the behavior of a game character corresponding to the player.

As described above, the present invention is configured to extract a game player behavior group from packets, transmitted and received in a communication environment between the game client 20 and the game server 30, in accordance with the game player's behavioral characteristics in the form of a cluster, and extracts and analyzes a pattern which is the player's behavior determination element using the cluster.

The apparatus and method for analyzing player's behavior pattern according to the embodiments of the present invention have the advantage of analyzing on-line game player's game behavior patterns and applying the analyzed behavior patterns to artificial game characters, thereby improving the reality of the behavior of the artificial game characters.

Furthermore, the apparatus and method for analyzing player's behavior pattern according to the embodiments of the present invention have the advantage of enabling the balancing of a game and player's behavioral characteristics to be researched, thereby rendering it possible to create the behavior of artificial game characters which can increase player interest

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. 

1. An apparatus for analyzing player's behavior pattern between a game client via which the player plays a game and a game server which provides the player with a game service, the apparatus comprising: a capture unit for capturing packets transmitted and received between the game client and the game server; a data extraction unit for extracting data corresponding to the player's behavior pattern from the packets; a cluster extraction unit for extracting a player cluster, the player cluster including players who have similar behavioral characteristics with one another, using the extracted data; a matching unit for matching the player cluster with similar characteristics of an actual player set; and a generalization unit for generalizing results of the matching.
 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the generalization unit transplants the generalized results to a behavior of a game character corresponding to the player.
 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the data extraction unit extracts data which corresponds to elements which determine the player's behavior pattern, from the packets.
 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the elements correspond to a difference in time between a point of time at which the packets are received and a point of time at which the player's input is transmitted, repetitive game behavior input packets, and the player's behavior input packets based on the player's functionality value.
 5. A method of analyzing player's behavior pattern between a game client which is accessed by a player and via which the player plays a game and a game server which provides the player with a game service, the method comprising: capturing packets transmitted and received between the game client and the game server; extracting data corresponding to the player's behavior pattern from the packets; extracting the player cluster, the player cluster including players who have similar behavioral characteristics with one another, using the extracted data; matching the player cluster with similar characteristics of an actual player set; and generalizing results of the matching.
 6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the generalizing comprises transplanting the generalized results to a behavior of a game character corresponding to the player.
 7. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the extracting data comprises extracting data which corresponds to elements which determine the player's behavior pattern, from the packets.
 8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the elements correspond to a difference in time between a point of time at which the packets are received and a point of time at which the player's input is transmitted, repetitive game behavior input packets, and the player's behavior input packets based on the player's functionality value.
 9. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the matching comprises comparing a player group with the player cluster, and, if the clustering is not suitable for characteristics of the player group, re-determining the elements which determine the player's behavior pattern. 